If there is an emerald ring in your future, you definitely should read this. Emerald rings are gorgeous, no doubt about that. Many of us love them because of that rich, green color - it reminds us subconsciously of warm summer days, green grass, and leaves swaying in the breeze. That is a wonderful reason to love something, but there are things you need to know about emerald rings and emerald engagement rings, also.
Beryl is the colorless mineral that makes up most of the composition of emeralds. It takes a small amount of chromium or vanadium to give an emerald its beautiful green color. You will notice that most emeralds are treated with oil that helps to seal it and increase its clarity and the intensity of its color. This is an acceptable and necessary practice, since the oil fills tiny natural cracks in an emerald and helps keep it from cracking. Do not ever soak an emerald ring, or place it in an ultrasonic cleaning machine. Soaking it will remove the oil, making the stone look dull or matte, and it will be easier to crack the stone. Just the vibrations alone in one of those machines may crack the stone anyway, so steer clear of those, even if you have an emerald and diamond engagement ring. The diamonds in that sort of ring will have to be cleaned some other way, like with a jewelry polishing cloth.
Emeralds are so rare that if you have a high quality, flawless emerald, it will be more valuable than a high quality, flawless diamond. Emeralds are considered flawless if they contain only inclusions that require a magnifying device to see. That is because all emeralds contain inclusions. A top quality emerald is one that is flawless and has a lovely, dark green color to it. Since all emeralds contain flaws and small cracks, even stones treated with oil can crack or break if they are treated roughly. Always remove emerald engagement rings, and all emerald rings when you do housework, play sports, garden, or anything where the ring could take a hard hit.
Most emeralds today that are genuine, true emeralds are mined in South America, in Columbia. They are called "Columbian Emeralds", an apt description of them. In the 1960's, a group of American jewelers began calling stones made up of mostly Vanadium and only a small amount of beryl "Vanadium Emeralds". Those stones are not considered to be true emeralds anywhere but in the United States.
Of course it goes without saying that you should shop with trusted, quality jewelry outlets when purchasing any expensive jewelry like emerald rings. A ring of any size should be accompanied by a certificate certifying the stone as genuine, and it will also show the quality rating of the stone. The American Gemological Laboratories, the Gemological Institute of America, and the American Gem Trade Association all issue certifications for gemstones. Your dealer should show it to you, and if they won't or can't, look for another place to buy your jewelry!
The familiar 'emerald cut' that we all love on an emerald is not only beautiful, but it is very functional as well. The large, rectangular planes of this cut help keep an emerald from cracking and breaking. It was developed by the jewelry industry for making emeralds stronger, but the beauty of the cut makes it very popular for other gemstones. Emerald cut diamond rings are immensely popular today, for example.
$1000 or more is not out of the question for a high quality emerald ring. We are talking about a large stone, 1 carat or more for those prices. You can find emerald rings with smaller stones for much less. Whatever size you choose, do your research and shop with a trusted jeweler. You will be rewarded with a gorgeous ring that you will wear for years to come!
Here's where you can find out more about your emerald cut diamond ring!
Looking for mens cubic zirconia rings? Pearl's Jewelry Junction has all the information you need.
No comments:
Post a Comment